Choose Spelunky 2
Choose Spelunky 2 if you want the Online Co-op side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 13,985 Steam reviews back the pick.
Spelunky 2 vs MPaliens
Spelunky 2 and MPaliens both land in Action, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Action, Indie on Steam. MPaliens (2019) is 1 year older than Spelunky 2 (2020). MPaliens is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Spelunky 2 (1.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose MPaliens
Choose MPaliens if it's currently about 90% cheaper on the Steam Store. MPaliens launched in 2019.
Both Spelunky 2 and MPaliens sit in Action and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen, and Online PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Spelunky 2 |  MPaliens | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Genres | Action, Indie | Action, Indie |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 19.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 93.3% positive (13,985 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op |
| Developers | Mossmouth, BlitWorks | Skull Box Games |
Side by side
- Both share Action, Indie on Steam.
- MPaliens (2019) is 1 year older than Spelunky 2 (2020).
- MPaliens is currently ~90% cheaper on Steam than Spelunky 2 (1.99 USD vs. 19.99 USD).
- Both support cooperative play.
- Spelunky 2 is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; MPaliens has no Deck rating yet.
Spelunky 2 vs MPaliens — FAQ
- Should I play Spelunky 2 or MPaliens first?
- If you want chronology, MPaliens (2019) came out before Spelunky 2 (2020). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Spelunky 2 and MPaliens similar?
- They overlap on Action, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Do both Spelunky 2 and MPaliens have co-op?
- Yes — both list a co-op category on Steam. Specifics differ: Spelunky 2 ships Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen Co-op; MPaliens ships Shared/Split Screen Co-op, Co-op.
- Does Spelunky 2 run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Spelunky 2 is rated Deck Verified by Valve. MPaliens doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.